Session 23
Locations: Sing Sing Prison, JuJu House, Fat Mable's, the University, and Jacob's disturbing dreamscape.
Key Themes: Jacob's mental and physical deterioration, Hilton Adams's plea, Mukunga's growing prominence, and the approaching Eclipse Ball.
Focus Areas:
Psych Ward Visit: Imelda and Abigail visit Jacob, whose condition has worsened. The glass of his room is opaque with blood, his fingertips missing, and walls covered in blasphemous symbols, including inverted ankhs. Jacob, flicking the silver coin, hasn't eaten or drunk in 36 hours. From Jacob's perspective, he's at a tea party with figures from his life while fighting off "tentacle creatures."
Coin Incident: Imelda and Abigail fail to remove the coin from Jacob's grip, breaking his pinkie finger in the process. It is managed to be taken from his possession, and is sent to Jupiter's mother for further investigation. Later, the coin mysteriously reappears, rolling beside Abigail, despite being sent to Jupiter's mother.
Proposed Cures: Options for Jacob include electrotherapy or a lobotomy. Abigail supports electrotherapy, but Imelda is hesitant.
University Investigation: Jupiter researches solar eclipses, learning they thin the veil between worlds, especially during complete eclipses. The upcoming eclipse over New York is a rare and powerful event.
Imelda's Investigation: Imelda researches Celtic culture and the coin, learning that the coin's phrase reads: "That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange eons, even death may die." The coin was last seen during the Mountains of Madness Expedition (1913), where horrific events unfolded in Antarctica.
Eclipse Ball Preparations: Imelda shops for a designer outfit while Abigail invites Cecil Langdon to attend with her.
Meeting Hilton Adams: Imelda and Abigail meet Hilton in his grim cell, where he is polite but resigned. He provides crucial information:
Jupiter's Visit to JuJu House: Silas shows Jupiter ritual artefacts and a hidden key beneath his shawls. A white woman visits JuJu House, slipping an envelope into her pocket as she leaves.
Fat Mable's Investigation: Abigail and Imelda visit Fat Mable's, seeking Mukunga. The patrons, terrified of him, provide little information.
Revisiting Silas: Silas claims Mukunga is a Kenyan name and mentions knowing a Mukunga in Kenya - a bright young man.
Imelda's Dreamwalking Attempt: Imelda enters Jacob's dream pyramid, where disturbing realities unfold. The golden pyramid is made of human bodies with blood cascading as steps. Jacob climbs, holding Sarah's hand, unaware she is actually Mukunga in disguise. Mukunga, wearing a robe of feathers and holding a runed staff, confronts Imelda, warping the air into a threatening blue aura.
Jacob's Vision of "God": At the pyramid's summit, Jacob enters a galaxy-like plane of peace. A colossal, shifting figure addresses him: "You are special, Jacob, unlike others of your pitiful race. Lead them into a glorious era." When Jacob speaks the name Yahweh, the figure replies: "That is one of my names." The figure's face shifts rapidly, and Jacob realises he is in the presence of God.
14th Precinct Investigation: Abigail, posing as a police officer, steals a uniform to infiltrate the Evidence Room. Meanwhile, Captain Robson congratulates Jupiter, offering him a "reward" - a shoe with bits of skull and brain from a previous case.
Jacob and the Coin: What is the silver coin's true nature, and how is it connected to Jacob's visions and deteriorating state?
Mukunga M'darie: How does this enigmatic figure connect to the Bloody Tongue and JuJu House?
Solar Eclipse Rituals: What rituals are planned for the upcoming eclipse, and how can the group stop them?
Hilton's Journal: Where is Hilton's journal, and what secrets about JuJu House and the disappearances does it contain?
Handwriting?